I see where questions about towing are being answered. Any thoughts on towing a 21 bhs with a new 2014 Nissan Pathfinder?
Thanks
5,000# towing rated. The BHS dry weight specs at 3500#. Options will add, say, 300-400#. Go see one on the lot, with the options you want, and check the sticker for what that actual trailer ended up as it left the factory. I'll bet 3800 and change. That gives you 1200# to play with for cargo (food, lawn chairs, full propane tanks, water/grey/black, clothes, toys, etc.) I'll bet you'll go 4500 at the scales. Doable, but not a lot of room left over. I personally prefer to be WAY under my limits. We're happy running right around 3600# on a 5000# tow rated rig, and it's comfortable. I don't know (and have no intention pushing to find out) at what point I'm too close to max for my comfort.
You'll also want to check the GCWR - the total weight of the trailer AND the tow rig w/passengers, fuel, etc. You need to be under that number as well. Your Pathfinder's GCWR is 10,000#. Your empty curb weight is 4300. Add a full tank of fuel, passengers, cargo in the tow vehicle. Take honest weights for all the passengers - not what you told the DMV to put on your license, but what you actually show up at, wearing all your clothes, etc.
I'll bet you are pretty close to the GCWR limit, too. How close depends on how many passengers, are they slim or chubby, do you travel light ? The answers to all that will tell you if you are below, near, or over the limits.
I totally agree. Tow vehicles should have a decent margin both for safety and performance.
Think of it like ladder shopping: When I'm at the store picking out a ladder I don't get the one that's rated for my exact weight... I get the one that's rated for at least 30% more than my weight. It's my life that's at risk while I'm up there, plus heavier rated ladders are stiffer and usually have wider bases so they're more comfortable to use.
Sort of a newbie here,
[span] But I have a question concerning towing. I have noticed that 2 folks are towing 21BHS and 28BHS respectively with a Ford Flex. I looked up the Flex Tow Capacity and they say (online anyways) 4500lbs. With the information that I've reading from this forum, I got a red flag in my brain. I really trust real world experience I'm sure this forum will have the information needed. My question: What am I missing?
[/span]I guess I should clarify. The 21BHS runs 3500lbs dry and the 28BHS is 4250lbs dry. Sure doesn't seem to leave a lot of room in my estimation. Especially when you add propane and flushing water. So you can see my confusion. Sorry for being daft, but it is my nature. thanks ahead of time.
[p]Use this tool to calculate what you can tow. [a href="http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml"]http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml[/a][/p][p]
[/p][p]I would not use less than a 15% safety margin or less than 12% on tongue weight that are variables you can play with in this tool. I am planning to use my Avalanche for the 28BHS.
[/p]
[quote source="/post/2194/thread" timestamp="1406599552" author="@rln055"]Sort of a newbie here,
[span] But I have a question concerning towing. I have noticed that 2 folks are towing 21BHS and 28BHS respectively with a Ford Flex. I looked up the Flex Tow Capacity and they say (online anyways) 4500lbs. With the information that I've reading from this forum, I got a red flag in my brain. I really trust real world experience I'm sure this forum will have the information needed. My question: What am I missing?
[/span]I guess I should clarify. The 21BHS runs 3500lbs dry and the 28BHS is 4250lbs dry. Sure doesn't seem to leave a lot of room in my estimation. Especially when you add propane and flushing water. So you can see my confusion. Sorry for being daft, but it is my nature. thanks ahead of time.[/quote]Both the 21BHS and certainly the 28BHS should be over the 4500lb tow rating of the Flex even moderately loaded (propane, battery, A/C, some liquid in the tanks, food in the fridge, kitchen stuff, etc...). It sets off a red flag for me too, but apparently it's working for some people. Whether you're comfortable with that is really your call to make.
I think the only thing you might be missing is that different people have different stances on safety margins. Some see tow ratings as absolute maximums that you should stay well below, and others see them as estimations of what the vehicle is capable of.
I have a 2013 Pathfinder and tow a 16 TBS with no wdh. Works well for me. Considered a 21 and it would have worked, but I probably would have used a wdh.
David
Thanks "David and tinkering techie" for the replies. And thanks to this forum, for I have found a great source to rely on.
I bought a 2013 Tacoma w/tow package and began early this year searching how I could best use it. I'm new to towing TT's and my research has brought up a plethora of confusing terms that I'm trying very hard to understand. And thus my original question. I know that information isn't always exacting and now, thanks to these fine forum members, I understand better. I am a "safety conscious" individual and figured others are as well. And I appreciate the different people and different safety margins quote from tinkering techie. He is right. So I just have to get my nose out of the book and watch and learn from those around me, which is this forum, among others and I thank each one of you for your input.
I have decided to get a Camplite before I retire, which is soon. Here in the NW, we camp in many forms, but as I and the wife are not young anymore, we want to do smoothly from now on. Tenting is for the grand babies and "in the bushes" is for the bears. I'm going to stay with my modern era roots, which requires porcelain and a roof.
Current:
2013 Toyota Tacoma 4.0L 4x4 Quad Cab
Coming soon: Camplite 21BHS or RBS, still working out the details.
I have decided to use the andersen hitch. More for the anti sway/bounce than actual weight distribution.
I'm also going with the Tekonsha P3 brake controller. Might be a little overkill but it will tell me if the trailer isn't there (can't be too careful)
I would appreciate any feedback with any of these choices, minus the Taco, as I already have that. Thanks in advance. Les
I'm probably going to have to do something other than the egghead, but I'm being lazy today.
In response to rln055:
Got a '14 Taco (5040# fully loaded). Got a 14DBS (4120# fully loaded). Gotta tell ya, you'll know it when you come to a hill. Don't want to even think about mountains.........and we live in "Colorful Colorado". Can't imagine pulling anything heavier with a Taco.
With an Equal-i-zer hitch, we have no sway, no bounce and weight distribution. Quite satisfied with it.
I think the P3 is overkill. Our Tekonsha Primus IQ control works fine and it's easier to look at your mirrors than the brake control to check on your trailer.........
The Primus control too shows if the trailer is 'Electrically" connected, if that's what you mean.
Toyota hides the wiring harness very well, but it's there and with the Tekonsha wiring adapter makes connecting a Tekonsha brake control a snap.
Our 14DBS hits the scales at 3300, plus tongue weight. I'm curious what else you're putting in it for another 500# more than us.
Also, as one who has in fact had the trailer pop off the ball, trust me. You'll know it what it happens.
pinstriper,
How are you calculating "tongue weight" ?
We carry a full tank of fresh water, full water heater, 2 full 20# L/P cylinders, clothes, refer full of food, modutile.com floor tile (approx. 60# with nice diamond plate pattern), small tool box, 2 - PICO folding chairs and table, small solar panel, and the sewer hose carrier made of Sch. 40 PVC pipe (accommodates elbow) plus of course miscellaneous stuff like a couple of DVD's, etc.
What do you carry in your 14DBS?
I backed into my tongue weight by weighing the tow rig with the trailer behind, and not on the scale, then pulling through the scales while the trailer was at the campground and everything/everyone was in the tow rig. Difference was 355. The trailer itself was 3350 with the tow rig off the scale. So that's how I got my tongue weight.
We were running with 1/2 tank of fresh water. I can't see that accounting for it all. Our flooring is foam tiles from Harbor Freight, probably all of 5#. So there's another 50, maybe. How much is in your tool box... ?
Our fridge was empty, but we had a cooler full. Again, not seeing enough of a difference.
Have you actually weighed her "in flight" ? You might be pulling less than you think.
pinstriper,
Don't know what you mean by weighing "in flight". Truck and trailer were weighed with all axles on the CAT scale. Dropped trailer and weighed just the truck. Difference has got to be just the trailer.
I think we can come quite close to accounting for the difference which I calculate as 415#. 3350 + 355 - 4120 = 415#
Water difference = +/- 160# - Floor = 55# - Tool Box = 20# - Chairs = 20#- - Sewer Hose Carrier = 40# - Lots of Food = 20# - Misc = ? Total = 315# +/- . 100# difference.
Your "backed into" tongue weight could be off slightly...maybe, huh? Sure, I would like to be pulling a lot less, wouldn't we all... but then we wouldn't have a 14' Camplite.
[quote source="/post/2302/thread" timestamp="1407120848" author="@timeout"]pinstriper,
Don't know what you mean by weighing "in flight". Truck and trailer were weighed with all axles on the CAT scale. Dropped trailer and weighed just the truck. Difference has got to be just the trailer.
I think we can come quite close to accounting for the difference which I calculate as 415#. 3350 + 355 - 4120 = 415#
Water difference = +/- 160# - Floor = 55# - Tool Box = 20# - Chairs = 20#- - Sewer Hose Carrier = 40# - Lots of Food = 20# - Misc = ? Total = 315# +/- . 100# difference.
Your "backed into" tongue weight could be off slightly...maybe, huh? Sure, I would like to be pulling a lot less, wouldn't we all... but then we wouldn't have a 14' Camplite.[/quote][p]By "in flight", I meant on an actual camping trip, 30 minutes in. The scale wasn't long enough to have all wheels on at the same time, unlike yours.[/p][p]
[/p][p]So yeah, I could be off +/- 50#. Another difference could be how full the gas tank is between weighings. 1/2 a tank would be another 75#.[/p][p]
[/p][p]We also are carrying chairs, a second sewer hose and tube, food, clothes, dishes, pots and pans. I also had a large duffle full of firewood.[/p][p]
[/p][p]But hey, the big point is you are keeping way below 5k, as we are. These pounds can sneak up on you when you run too close to limits.
[/p]
Pinstriper,
I guess we were "in flight". Filled the truck with gas and went directly to the scale. The campground we were staying at was less than a mile away. Went there, dropped the trailer, and went directly back to the scale. Weight should be as accurate as possible. The only other thing to do would be to empty the trailer completely and do the scale procedure again. Not going to happen.
How about the next new 14DBS customer pulling the scales on his way home from the dealer?
I think our weight difference is pretty well accounted for, so enough of that........
Will still be interested to know what other Livin Lite owners have found in their weight determinations.
Maybe someone could start a thread on that subject.